Narrator Julian Rhind-Tutt's delivery is as varied as the diverse characters in this story collection, written when the author was a teenager. The introduction is pure Pratchett as he tells his young audience how he came to be a writer. In the title story, young Ralph sounds appropriately nervous because he must fill in for "real" knights who are on vacation or out sick. The most fun is a story called “The Great Race,” which abounds with German and English accents as the competitors race—and cheat—to the finish line. Rhind-Tutt is outstanding with Pratchett's witty wordplay, and his spirited descriptions will keep young listeners tuned in. Sound effects such as buzzing bees, birds, yawns, and racing cars are genuine and add to the lively atmosphere.
(Short stories. 10-12)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2015
Duration: 4 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781101892022
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.
AGES 8+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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